


Keeping Strong

by mizxmacmanus



Series: Keeping [2]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV), The Walking Dead - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-02
Updated: 2015-08-07
Packaged: 2018-03-20 21:17:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3665328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizxmacmanus/pseuds/mizxmacmanus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>-sequel to Keeping Alive- When Beth was taken from Daryl, she had no idea she and their baby would be the center of a mad man's obsession; trapped in the heart of Atlanta. As Daryl tries desperately from the outside to find her, Beth is desperately trying to find a way to free herself and the others trapped under the care of 'The Paradisers'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Welcome To Paradise

**Author's Note:**

> It is here... late but here. I'm extremely nervous over this series, and I had the first chapter done for nearly a week and a half but I guess nerves. lol I do hope you enjoy this.

"Did you find her?" the voice was muffled as the blonde started to come to, the bright light from the window almost blinding her. Her first thought was the baby, as one of her hands went to her growing belly as she tried to sit up from the bed she was laying on. The room she was in was almost completely empty, except for the bed she was laying on and the medical machines she was hooked up to. Panic shot through her when she remembered the events up until she had passed out from the pain in her wrist; which was now wrapped in a cast. 

"Yes we did, sir. But there’s a problem with her, she's pregnant." Twisting her attention toward the door, Beth's heart slammed against her chest to hear these men talking about her and her baby. Slipping from the bed, the blonde noticed they had changed her into a cotton gown; her clothes she had been wearing completely gone. The window against an opposite wall showed a destroyed Atlanta, and Beth gasped at the sight of the burnt buildings. She was in Atlanta; in the heart of the city from the looks of it. All she could think of was how she was going to get out with her and the baby's life and back to Daryl. 

"How is that a problem, Reggie? That's wonderful news." The voices brought the pregnant blonde's attention back to the door; they hadn't heard her moving around the room yet. Twisting around, Beth tried her best to find something she could use as a weapon against these men, until the next words that came from the other side nearly made her heart plummet. "What about the archer? What did you do with him?"

"We lost him pretty quick. Dumb bastard chased after us thinkin' he can get to us by foot. He’s good as dead brain's food by now. Probably feastin’ on his corpse as we speak." the voice laughed almost sinisterly, and Beth covered her mouth to stifle a small sob. She wanted to stab these strangers through the skull for hearing them talk about Daryl as if he was just trash on the side of the road. "What we gonna tell her about him though? She's gonna be asking about him."

"He's dead, simple. You said so yourself he's good as dead anyways." She was able to distinguish the voices as she made her way closer to the door, pulling out her IV to use on them. One was clearly not from the south, sounding very much from California or somewhere on the west coast while the other sounded like he was from the lowest of lows of the south. They were dangerous, Beth knew that even without seeing their faces, and the young mother could only think about protecting the child inside her. The door started to open as she stood there staring in defense, her tears turning to anger and determination as she was ready to use her IV needle if need be. The man who was opening the door, stood there taking in the blonde holding her IV in a defensive manner, her eyes set on him. He wasn't much taller than her, with long thick curly brown hair that pulled back into a low pony and a thick beard that covered most of his olive colored face; his eyes were brown with thick lashes lining them finishing off his attractive features. He had a gun holstered to his side, and a broke guitar neck strapped to his back, the end of it carved into a sharp bloodied dagger. Catching sight of Beth, the man held his arms up in the air, a friendly smile meeting his lips. "Whoa, whoa. Now drop that sweetheart, we aren't gonna hurt you or your little one. We're here to help you."

Looking over his shoulder, Beth was able to see two other men standing behind him. One was dressed as a well-dressed doctor while the other looked as if he was a walker himself, his facial features sunken in and his light brown hair stringy over his face. The human walker had his knife out, as if ready to attack the woman if she made a move toward the brown haired man, completely refuting the man's word that he offered comfort with. Thinking about the baby, Beth dropped the IV and the man nodded for the doctor to come in; pulling an ultrasound monitor with him. The bearded man only kept his friendly smile, making an advance toward her to lead her back to the bed. 

"Where am I?" Beth asked suddenly, yanking her arm from him. The bearded man only kept his friendly smile as he ran his dark eyes over her young features; landing on her pregnant stomach. She didn’t like the way he looked at her.

"We like to call it Paradise." He held out his hand once more for her, his brown eyes watching Beth as she looked around the room. She didn't know what hospital she was at, but this was nowhere near paradise. "We found you out there, heard you ran into a bit of trouble."

"I ran into your men if that’s what you mean trouble, then yes." Beth snapped, holding up her casted wrist. The man’s smile never wavered, only started to look more dangerous and amused by her accusation. "Where is the man that was with me? What happened to him?"

"We were unable to save him." She knew from the word exchange in the hallway, completely disgusted that he was lying through his teeth. "I'm sorry sweetheart. If you would like, I can send a car out there to retrieve his body for you. Give him a proper burial."

"Can' bury what isn' dead." Beth responded, calling him on his bullshit. The men in the room stood shocked at her response, the living walker and doctor scrambling to busy themselves leaving the Californian to talk. 

"I am Gregory." He chose to ignore her comment, the surprised look he wore quickly changing to a straight face. "This is Reggie, and Doctor Edwards. The doctor is here to check on the baby, we gotta make sure that little stranger in there is doing okay, Ms..."

"Beth... Beth Greene." Beth replied feebly, her eyes going to the doctor hooking the battery to the ultra sound machine. Placing her hand protectively over her stomach, her eyes darted back toward Gregory; catching the look he was giving her. One that left her uncomfortable and scared; as if he had a possession over her.

"Well Ms. Beth Greene, we aren't here to hurt you. We just want to help you and your baby. In this world life is precious, and you are carrying one of the most precious ones right now." Gregory held her gaze before Beth allowed him to usher her to the bed. He had been right, they needed to make sure the baby was okay, and that the pregnancy was going fine despite the circumstances of the world. "Reggie, why don't you go find Noah to make a trip to the cafeteria and get Beth here some dinner and a change of scrubs for her. Have him throw in an extra helping of meat for the baby."

Reggie nodded to the man, stepping away from Beth's hospital bed to exit from the room, leaving the young woman alone with the doctor and Gregory. Her eyes now watching the other man as Edwards got her situated in the bed for the ultrasound; noticing that he looked at her as if she was a prize and he had just won her. There was a strange look in his eyes, a look the young woman wasn’t familiar with, and it only just made her uncomfortable. This man had a purpose for her, and this baby only a bonus to it.

“Now this is gonna be a bit cold, Beth.” Edwards spoke, causing her to look at him as he squeezed a small amount of gel on her stomach. It was cool against the growing bump, but the blonde could only focus on the sympathetic smile he wore; a secret apology to what this man was and what he had intended for her. Flipping on the machine, Edwards’ twitched nervously when Gregory’s gaze landed on him; watching the doctor’s every move carefully. Soon the cool gel was being pushed over her stomach, the screen showing inside her abdomen; showing the shape of a baby. 

Beth’s heart did a summersault when the sudden sound of a new heartbeat filled the room, tears starting to brim. That was the heartbeat of her baby, and on the screen was hers and Daryl’s baby. Moving around quite a bit from the video, which earned a tearful laugh coming from the mother and caused her to forget for a minute about who she was with, and the danger they were in. When she felt someone take her hand, Beth twisted her head in hopes to see Daryl there with her; but it was Gregory. His own eyes glued onto the screen, his grip tight on her hand. 

“From the looks of it, it looks healthy. Development is amazing, and I’d put you at about seventeen, maybe eighteen weeks.” Edwards pretended he hadn’t noticed her try to yank herself free from Gregory’s grip, his eyes glued in fascination to the infant on the screen. “God, I never thought I would see this again… Would you like to know the sex of the baby?”

“No,” Beth spoke as she managed to break her small wrist free from the older man’s grip, turning her gaze to Edwards to ignore the possessive look that graced the man’s feature’s once more. “I wanna be surprised when it gets here. I got used to the idea of it being a surprise.”

When Edwards turned his attention back toward the young woman, he could see the way Gregory’s high eyes were looking at the young woman. Like her and the baby were his prey; and they had been for months, a sick obsession that took great resources they didn’t have to find her. This only made the doctor want to yell to the woman to get out while she can, but he valued his life, and their lives. Beth and her baby’s best chances of both surviving was here, and the doctor chose to ignore the gears ticking in Gregory’s brain. When Edwards looked at Beth, he saw she was looking down at her belly with the fingers from her casted arm gently gliding over the stretched skin; her eyes filled with love and determination as she smiled softly. The baby had kicked. 

“Well, if you change your mind, you know who to ask.” Edwards joked with her shutting off the machine, turning off her view to the baby. Glancing over toward Gregory, Edwards wiped away the gel from Beth’s stomach. “She’s gonna need prenatal vitamins every day, I think we should have some in the medicine cabinets. We can only hope they are still good to take, and I’ll make a list of items that would help the next time the men go out for her. All the beds in the maternity ward are…”

“I know…” Gregory responded grimly, shaking his head in disappointment before sticking his hand out to tuck some of her blonde hair behind her ear. A gesture that was meant to be a caring, innocent act caused the young woman to flinch away. She didn’t need to know what was wrong with the baby beds in the hospital, sure that the maternity ward must have been a buffet for walkers in the beginning. It broke her heart thinking about had happened to the infants here, bringing back terrible thoughts of Judith. “We will set up something for the next set of rounds for the men. I’ll go check on the prenatal,”—Gregory tossed Beth what was meant to be a flirtatious smile, but it only came out animalistic and scary—“I have a room next to mine being prepared for you, so if there is anything you would like to have for your room to be more comfortable, have Edwards put it on the list.”

“Alright…” Looking at both men, the pregnant woman shifted uncomfortably in the bed. She kept wishing that she had Daryl there, protecting her from what was in store for her and the baby. 

“Noah will be here with your food, and something to wear for the time being.” Gregory moved toward the door, looking back expecting Edwards to follow. 

“I have a few more things I need to look over, to make sure nothing could possibly be dangerous to her and the pregnancy.” Edwards stuttered, hanging back as he had her sit up to listen to her heart; clearly searching for reasons to stay with her. 

“Don’ take too long. She needs her rest.” Gregory’s voice was different, almost angry at how the doctor was suddenly acting. His eyes flashed a dangerous look, and Beth wrapped her arms protectively over her stomach. When he turned his attention to Beth, his expression softened and the smile he had worn first entering the room returned. “I look forward to getting to know you, Ms. Beth Greene.”

Beth didn’t need to answer as he exited the room, leaving her and the doctor alone. Taking a deep breath, the blonde looked at the balding doctor; his hands in his lab coat as he glared after Gregory. There was an animosity to this stare, something she must have not meant to have seen when he saw that she was looking because Edwards’s facial expression soon changed to a friendly open one toward her. 

“How safe is this place for me and my baby?” Beth just blurted, watching Edwards now making up things to stay in the room; like he wanted to talk to her. “Are we in danger?”

“What? Oh, ha ha, no no.” Edwards let out a nervous laugh when he realized he was sending off uncomfortable vibes toward the young woman. He could tell she was scared for her child, but another part of her prepared to do what she needed to protect her young; he admired her as she stared at him, clearly not believing a word he said. “In fact, you and that baby are probably the only ones who are safe. A high priority here in the hospital.”

“Why did they lie to me?” Beth then asked, looking at the doctor as he froze suddenly before busying himself by moving the ultrasound to a corner for future use. The blonde was able to tell she was more able to get proper answers from the doctor than anyone else. Looking toward the door, the young woman looked back down to her bump as she felt the baby move slightly. “Why did they tell me he was dead?”

“They didn’t mean to lie if they did, there is no way for him to still be alive,” Edwards spoke turning to look at the blonde, trying to be as honest as he could. His hands once more went to his white coat pockets, looking down causing his glasses to fall slightly down his nose. “They said the house you two were locked up in got overrun, that there was little chance he got far without being taken down.”

“That doesn’ mean he’s dead.” Beth responded matter factly, having complete faith that the hunter had gotten out alive and was out there looking for her. Looking for them. She should have known better than to get an answer from the doctor; Edwards looked down to the floor before sighing.

“The last they saw he was alive.” Edwards answered honestly finally, when the blonde looked at him. “But he was struggling with one of those… people. He was unable to be saved.”

“What was this hospital used to be called?” The blonde asked, taking in the information as she suddenly started paying attention to the man. She learned a lot from the hunter, might as well put all she learned to use. They had left him for dead, making it clear to her that she was their target; she had been their target since the funeral home. A few of the pieces started to fall into place of the large puzzle she was trying to figure out. What did they want from her? What did Gregory want from her? “I ain’t about to call this place _’Paradise’_ ”

“I don’t blame you. It’s Grady. This place is Grady Hospital.”

***

There was a knock at the hospital room door not long after Edwards had left Beth alone, and a young black man entered the room with a tray on top of a set of scrubs. Beth had been laying on her side facing the window when he had entered, causing her to twist around before finally sitting up. The man had a limp to him while he made his way toward her bed, his eyes down casted when he realized how pretty the young woman was.

“Sorry, it took so long. It was hard to convince Ernie that the extra meat was for a pregnant patient.” The young man spoke, setting the clothes and tray onto the bed, his brown eyes looking up to hers. He wasn’t much younger than her from the looks of him, maybe a year or two difference, and he offered her the first trust worthy smile since she had arrived. “Your baby okay?”

“Yea, it’s healthy.” Beth smiled as she blushed brightly, looking at the large plate of food. It was stocked piled with veggies and a strange kind of meat; something that didn’t look appetizing at the moment to the young woman. The clothes that were under the tray were blue nurse scrubs, the same kind the young man was wear. “I’m Beth.”

“Noah.” He stuck out his hand so she could shake his hand, which she took with a smile giving him a firm handshake. Pulling his hand back after the handshake, Noah couldn’t help but be curious about the new arrival; especially since Gregory was more interested in her than most others they bring in. He noticed there was a sadness to her, as she busied herself with moving her food tray to a small table Edwards wheeled in. “You okay?”

“My baby is healthy, so yea I’m okay.” Beth responded, looking down at her nails. Her thoughts were on Daryl, hating that she was so far from him and had no idea where he was. Only that he was alive out there. She hoped that he had found the others and soon would find her, hoping more it would be in time to have the baby. 

“Where’s the dad?” Noah asked as he sat leaned against the bed, curious about her situation. There was already many things off the bat about this girl that was no surprise that Gregory wanted her to Noah, but that all the more worried him. The moment Reggie had found him to order to retrieve her food, Noah knew instantly what it was they had sent him to retrieve the boss for. 

“Out there. Lookin’ for us.” Beth spoke with a smile, as she turned to look at the younger man. “They said he died when they found me, but I know he’s alive and is tryin’ to move the earth to find us.” 

“Noah!” The sound of a voice yelled from the hallway, sounding angry. Noah paled slightly as he straightened and looked at the blonde. 

“Shit, I got to go. It was very nice to meet you,” Noah hurried for the door before stopping as he opened it to look back at her, a reassuring smile on his lips. “I’ll talk to you later, Beth.”

With that the young man exited the room as quick as his limp could take him, leaving the pregnant woman alone in the room once again. Looking at the change of scrubs, the blonde bristled slightly wanting her own clothes back; Finnley and Daryl had searched high and low for those clothes to cover her growing body. Her bracelet was also gone from her wrist, the one that hid her scar, leaving the raised skin in plain sight. Pulling her hand away from the scrubs, Beth twisted her wrist so she could look at the scar. 

She hated the scar, she hated the reason for the scar, but since her time with Daryl she was able to look upon the scar with a different view. Trying to avoid the feel of the scratchy cast on her pale skin, Beth ran her thumb over the scar, imagining it was Daryl’s rough one. Where was he? She kept asking herself, closing her eyes taking herself to a different world where he was with her. 

When she finally opened her eyes once more, Beth turned to look at the setting sun from her window. The room they had her in was so bare, the cabinets cleared out, and nothing on the counters. It was well taken care of, not a spec of dust anywhere; everything was very clean, reminding her of the funeral home along with the bed and breakfast. Two places that almost became her home. Were these the same people who were taking care of the other estates, or just pure coincidence? It couldn’t have possibly been a coincidence; they would have come for her sooner if she was their target. 

“Where are you, Daryl Dixon?” Beth whispered, finally standing to change into her new scrubs. Slipping off the gown, the blonde ran her hands lovingly over the protruding stomach before grabbing the scrub top to cover her growing breasts. They had to of gone up almost a full cup size and a half, wishing she had a bra to give her better support. Grabbing the pants, Beth smirked suddenly as she looked out the window once more to watch the sunset; talking to him as if he could hear her. “Don’ make me be the one to come lookin’ for you.”


	2. We're Gonna Find You're Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -Looks around nervously and waves- Hi! Um, remember me? lol. It's been a long time, I know.. I should have had this out sooner, but honestly I lost my drive for the longest time; my life had became a world of hecticness as well. I ended up working alot and at one point was the only assoicate in the dept I work in at my job, personal things continued to come up and I would lose any desire to write. I thought I was never gonna get back to what I loved, and be able to write again. 
> 
> Now.. I think I had this written for almost a month, but alas.. nerves and that its been so long that I might have lost my thouch. But I hope thats not the case and you enjoy the chapter since I almost chickened out. Only I have the amazing support of my friends who kept on encouraging me and giving me hope where I thought it was lost, and things are hopefully going to be looking up real soon, so why not get back into it. Sick of letting everything get in my way to write these stories. 
> 
> So I hope you enjoy this.

_Terminus was not a sanctuary,_ the farthest from a sanctuary as one could get when Daryl and part of his family had arrived to the large empty building. It only showed that it wasn’t just the walkers that wanted to feast on his flesh, _cannibals_ , something he never thought he would experience in his shortened life. Making his reunion with Maggie, Glenn, Bob, and Sasha— along with four new additions to their group—to become near bittersweet as they all faced the chance of becoming dinner for the living, and not the dead; though they weren’t going to go out without a fight. Terminus was no sanctuary, causing Daryl to only hope wherever Beth and their baby were was better than what he and the rest of their family experienced. They all had barely got out with their lives. 

Thanks to Carol. His heart swelled with joy when he turned to see the salt and peppered hair survivor holding his crossbow, neither had he thought he would see again. With her was Judith and Tyreese, earning a happy reunion with the Grimes Family, as well as Sasha and her brother. Daryl had to stand back from the happy reunions, tears forming in his eyes as his heart broke. _Their family had been alive_. Beth was right, and she wasn’t there for this. She wasn’t there for the reunion that she had strongly believed in, and to Daryl this wasn’t right at all. 

He had remembered shooting a look toward Maggie and Glenn, seeing the sadness in Maggie’s eyes watching the reunion between the two families; siblings finding each other, and a father having both his children back in his arms. Her sister should have been there, not just the assurance that she was in fact alive. That had been the farthest he had gotten to tell the brunette before he, Rick, and Glenn were taken; she was still unaware of what happened between the two and the baby that resulted in it all. 

“Hey, you okay?” Carol’s voice had brought him back from his thoughts about the pregnant blonde, her shoulder bumping against his own playfully. Like the days before they had found the prison, the two would walk together with the group; that was before he had Beth to survive beside him as it should have been all along. Shooting a glance toward the woman he loved as a sister, he saw the small concerned smile playing on the older woman’s face. “You been quiet since we met up with Ty and Judy.”

“Jus’ thinkin’. As much as it feels good to have everyone together, it still ain’t feelin’ right. Someone else shoulda been here.” Daryl grunted, looking forward to avoid her to see the brokenness that settled permanently behind the intense blues. He was still able to see Carol nod solemnly in agreement. It was clear she had been thinking he was meaning Merle, his brother. 

“There’s always gonna be someone who should be here, Daryl. The world ain’t ever gonna be right again, so no use feelin’ right.” Carol responded, and the hunter couldn’t help but notice a shift in her voice— not sounding like the Carol he had known. What had happened to her out there?

Only she had been wrong. The world may have ended, but to Daryl Dixon having Beth in his life had made his world right; no matter the how shitty the world was around them. Once she was back with him, and safe by his side, then he knew his world would be right once more. Not bothering to give the woman another look —nor giving her anymore then what he had said— Daryl’s attention went toward the brunette leading the group down the tracks; her husband right by her side. Neither knowing the deeper connection the three now shared, nor did Daryl have the slightest clue as to how he could tell them. 

The redheaded loud Sargent-type survivor, which had been traveling with Maggie and Glenn, continued to spew nonsense about needing to get a cowardly looking man with a mullet to Washington DC. Claiming that he held the cure for this whole mess, and that their mission was important— despite whenever you asked the mullet man what the cure contained he would either say it was classified or spoke quickly using made up words that no one could keep up with him— to the survival of what remained of the human race. Daryl could see bullshit from a mile away, and was happy when Rick would shoot the offer down since they still needed to find another member of their family. His Beth. The bossy redhead was not happy, though the mullet man seemed interested in helping the family instead of their mission, but he begrudgingly agreed to help the family in their search.

“How you even know this _member_ of your group is still alive out there. I bet my right nut that the chances of them bein’ alive is zero to none.” Abraham was his name, had stated at one point after hours of shooting off his mouth about how important his group’s mission was to theirs. “We’re huntin’ ghosts when we could be savin’ the world here. Wherever your friend is, they ain’t gonna be alive long.”

“A’right, I’m getting’ sick of this shit.” Daryl growled as he twisted toward the redheaded man, who then looked toward the hunter. Daryl’s grip only tightened on his crossbow, his eyes flashing with anger. “She’s alive wherever she is, an’ she’s gonna be alive when we fuckin’ find her. You been runnin’ your god damned mouth about how more important your stupid ass pointless mission is to findin’ her since we fuckin’ left Terminus.”

“’Cause I am protectin’ what could very well let you live your sorry redneck ass for a lot longer than maybe a few more days or weeks. Now we nearly became dinner to a bunch of maniacs, settin’ us back much longer than I would care for.” Abraham moved toward Daryl, as the group suddenly stopped. Carol and a Hispanic woman— the redhead’s woman from how they acted— were quick to try and keep the two men separated. “So forgive me if I feel getting’ Eugene to Washington worth more than chasing a ghost.”

“She’s worth more than you fuckin’ think.” Daryl’s voice got low and dangerous, which only caused the redhead to smirk. He had quickly figured out why the hunter was picking a fight with him. “You wanna fuckin’ go to Washington for no fuckin’ reason, fine by fuckin’ me. But I ain’t leavin’ Georgia ‘til she’s found.”

“I get it.” The redhead smirked, watching the hunter’s features, before shaking his head with a dry laugh. “An’ if I may ask, what makes this girl so special that you be riskin’ all these people’s lives for?”

“She’s my sister--” Maggie started to break into the argument when Daryl cut her off.

“She’s pregnant, that’s why!” The words stunned everyone, and the look on Abraham’s face made it clear that Daryl had won this argument, but leaving him to mentally slapping himself for breaking the news to Maggie like this. He could feel her eyes on his back, not even needing to see the look of shock on her face. Without another word, Abraham backed away and turned away from him; leaving Daryl to stand there with his family’s eyes on him. 

“What do you mean she’s pregnant?” Maggie asked, her voice tense as the information set in. Watching Daryl slowly turn toward the younger woman, he could hear the shock and almost anger in her voice. This wasn’t how he wanted her to find out.

Before anyone could say anything there was loud growls with leaves shuffling under the dragging feet. Twisting around, the family seemed to naturally surround Carl who had been holding Judith, their weapons up and their eyes on searching for where the sounds were coming from. Daryl’s heart pounded as his sharp eyes scanned the woods for any movement. Looking over his shoulder to make eye contact with Rick, the hunter nodded in a direction for them to run; needing to conserve as much ammo as they needed. When the former Sheriff motioned for everyone to move, the family moved quickly and quietly through the woods. Judith had known to be quiet, and she clung to her brother’s stretched out dirty shirt as the group moved around the two youngest members and the mullet man; her blue eyes searching for her father or Tyreese.

The herd that they had been trying to get away from were growling and snarling far behind them. Tensions were high among the group, and Daryl was able to taste everyone’s fear as they moved in a single formation. No one was going to be dying on his watch, Daryl intended to make certain of that, his eyes darting through the surrounding. It wasn’t exactly a town, but what looked like a street and a half of buildings, the mail road leading to a large warehouse. 

“The warehouse,” Daryl hissed to everyone, everyone picking up their pace since the only way they could go was through the half-town. He had noticed that Rick had fallen back to cover the rear, but his attention soon went to firing his bow through the skull of a decaying old hippie looking man. The family pushed on as fast as they could move together, their eyes jerking in every direction in fear of a hidden herd suddenly surfaced. 

It didn’t take the family as long as if had felt to make their way through the town, the growls only growing louder from behind them as the herd a lot closer to them then they would have liked. Carol had pushed passed Daryl suddenly, her blade out to embed into the skull of a walker that had stumbled in front of the group. Then a gun shot went off behind them, causing the group to turn their heads behind them only to see Rick taking off down a different street; a large chunk of the herd following him. 

“Dad!” Carl yelled as Michonne pushed him forward, finally reaching the warehouse. Pushing the large sliding door open, Sasha and Bob took down the three walkers that were trapped inside. Pushing Judith into Glenn’s arms, the young teenager turned to run out and search for his father. Abraham yanked the metal door shut right as the remaining part of the herd reached the warehouse. “You gotta let me back out there!”

“Boy I let you out of there, you’ll be ripped to shreds quicker than I could open this door.” The redheaded Sargent said calmly as he stared down the teenage boy.

“That’s my dad out there.” Carl snapped before Michonne pulled him away from the larger man. “I’m goin’ to look for him.”

“Anyone see what happened?” Daryl asked, his voice was oddly calm hiding how terrified he was for his best friend. The pounding against the metal was loud as the family realized they were stuck for the night; unable to leave to search for Rick until the herd had passed. Scanning the entire building for another exit, only to find there was only one way out and that was through the sliding metal doors. This place was a perpetual death trap as much as it was a haven for them at that moment. Had they not shut the doors in time, the whole family would be corned and all possibly killed. 

“He got cut off.” Abraham’s woman spoke, leaning against a large empty crate with the mullet man standing close next to her, as well as the other woman that had been with Maggie and Glenn. 

“Looked like he was falling behind to try and take down some of those things.” The other woman added, her voice filled with worry for the Sheriff, her rifle resting on her lap. She had been a survivor from the Governor’s group, the very one that had killed Hershel— which earned a change of heart from her. After the fall of the prison, she had found herself traveling with Glenn to find the rest of their family. A very mouthy and somewhat vulgar girl, but Daryl liked her well enough since she had agreed to help search for Beth as her way of trying to make up for what happened to the blonde’s father. “I don’t think he planned on falling that far back.”

“That’s all the more reason to go look for him.” Carl argued, breaking free from the Samurai, moving toward the doors once more with every intent to go find his father. “He may need our help.”

“We can’ go out there right now. We’re like sitting ducks ‘til that herd clears.” Maggie responded meekly, everyone looking solemn and worried as they moved to find a place to rest until morning. “We can only hope to be able to get out of here so we can find him in the mornin’.”

“I’m sure he found somewhere to hold up for the night,” Glenn spoke hopefully as he handed the infant girl off to Tyreese, who had made his way over to take Judith from the Korean. 

“You’re dad’s one tough son-of-a-bitch, he ain’t gonna let no walkers take him down.” Abraham tried to reassure the teenager. Moving his blue eyes toward the hunter, Carl hoped to get some back up from him.

“Ain’t no use tryin’ to go out there now as Maggie said,” Daryl patted the boy’s back in his own attempt to help, but from the look on Carl’s face it wasn’t helpful. It was clear he wasn’t good with teenagers, being a lot better with Judith than he was with Carl. It made him only hope he was going to do better with his own child when they got to be the kid’s age. “Hey, I wanna be out there lookin’ for him right now as much as you, but it’s too dangerous—gotta wait ‘til the herd moves on. Then it’s you and me out there and we’ll find him.”

Jerking away from the older man’s grasp, Carl moved from the group toward a more shadowed corner to brood since nothing could be said to make him feel any better. His father was stuck out there while he was stuck inside a warehouse; feeling helpless that he was unable to help. Daryl couldn’t blame the Grimes boy for feeling the same way as he stormed off, relating to the anger that had blossomed from the helplessness they both were feeling. He felt the same anger and helplessness everyday he was away from Beth, wishing every moment he could have gotten to her in time. He saved her once from these monsters, but he failed to save her again. He wanted to stomp off and brood along with the fourteen year old. 

It was suddenly uncomfortable when he finally became aware of everyone’s eyes on him, as if they were looking to him for answers. It was a feeling he was not use to anymore, it was one thing to have his blonde angel looking to him then having an entire group doing so. Daryl knew it was only a matter of time until people were looking to him as much as they did Rick. Only Rick was better at this then him, having the skills to speak to people to reassure and calm everyone; the sheriff wasn’t there though, and it was Daryl who had to give them answers and reassurance. Taking a deep breath, Daryl took his time to reload his crossbow while avoiding everyone’s gaze— Maggie’s especially— he desperately tried to find the right words to say. 

“Best get comfortable,” The hunter growled out, trying to push out the pounding of metal ringing in everyone’s ears from his mind, “We ain’t gettin’ out of her anytime soon. Once they clear off, we can gather a small group to scout the buildin’s for Rick and food. Ain’t nothin’ we can do now.”

No one was going to argue the possibility not find Rick alive, for Carl’s sake. Even Sasha, who was always quick to suggest the worst, kept her thoughts to herself settling in with Tyreese, Bob, and Judith for the night. Worry loomed over the group while everyone found different places on the warehouse floor, doing their best to ignore the growls and banging of the persistent walkers trying to beat their way in. Taking a seat at the crate right next to the door, Daryl gave Abraham a nod —a wordless command that he was going to guard the door with the large redhead— fishing out his smokes from his pocket in the process. Judith was well enough away from him, Tyreese trying to soothe her as she started to cry while Carol was quick to try and make her a bottle, and after everything that had happened that day he was desperate for one. 

It was all starting to way heavy in his heart, with his only vice being the cigarette’s he had lifted off a dead woman that Bob had taken down a day earlier. Striking the match he had pulled out, the redneck could only stare as the flame flickers, images of the fire from the shack seared through his mind before other memories with her started to follow. Melancholy filled him. He missed the blonde; her carefreeness, her love, her smile. The fire was not only a symbol of a love blooming, but of the same love missing from the hunter. Fire. The only thing he had left to remember their time alone together. 

“Fuck,” Daryl hissed to himself, watching the flame burn down to his fingertips, cause him to drop the match. The moment the burning stick hit the ground the flame had gone out, giving him a thought of the sick irony in it. Shaking his head of the negative thoughts invading his memories, Daryl took struck another match finally lighting the cigarette and took a deep inhale of the harsh stale smoke. 

Holding in the nicotine smoke in his lungs, his eyes slowly shut allowing the light headed feeling take over. There was no smoke when he went to blow it all out, Daryl slowly opened his eyes to stare at the burning smoke— lost in thought. He thought about how beautiful she looked the last night she was within his reach, growing heavier with his child, with the unfinished conversation replaying over in his head. 

“Daryl,” Maggie’s voice broke his train of thought minutes later, bringing him back from the small world he had created with Beth and caused him to look up from his half smoked cigarette. Pushing the filter between his lips, Daryl met her hazel eyes with his own bright blues, giving her his full attention. This conversation should have happened sooner, kicking himself for keeping this from the eldest Greene. Had he only started with what became between them and the baby they created from it all. “We need to talk.”

“I know,” Daryl nodded, starting to feel everyone’s eyes on the two once more, but his attention never wavered from the younger woman. Taking another deep drag of his now dying smoke, the hunter searched desperately for the right words to say to Maggie. Beth would have been able to handle her sister better than him, not allowing her sister’s over protective nonsense in her love affair. “Shoulda happened long time ago.”

“Daryl, what do you mean she’s pregnant?” Maggie’s question was direct and straight to the point, her voice and body language giving away she was fighting to stay calm. Daryl could feel guilt building in him for keeping this when he saw the hurt that Maggie was unable to hide away behind her eyes, but everything was happening so fast making him unable to find the right words to explain to her. Hoping she would understand the special connection between her sister and Daryl. 

“We didn’t intend for any of it to happen,” Daryl started, speaking truthfully as he crushed the filter if his smoke between his fingers before dropping it, hoping words didn’t fail him at that moment. “For… for the baby to happen.”

“You’re the father…” Maggie’s eyes widened as she spoke the information to sink in, like she wasn’t accepting the news. This in turn hurt Daryl, did Maggie think that lowly of him? Looking to her husband for help to understand the information given to her, Maggie was only met with Glenn looking at Daryl with the understanding that the brunette was trying to reach. Daryl Dixon and her baby sister together, an unlikely pairing to her. “How…”

“How could it not?” Daryl was quick to respond, placing another cigarette between his lips, and Maggie’s gaze landed on him once more. Daryl’s eyes never left her once, even if she had broken eye contact, wanting her to see the truth behind every word. “When… when we lost the prison… it was jus’ me and Beth, I didn’t have a shred of hope any of ya’ll were alive—falling into a dark place. Your sister…” Daryl chuckled at the memory now of the blonde not only breaking down walls, but demolishing them. “… she had every bit of hope of findin’ ya’ll, and dragged me out of the pity party I created ‘round myself. I didn’ think we’d fall in love the way we have.

“She was the last shred of good in this fuckin’ damned world.” Daryl took a deeper drag of his freshly lit cigarette when he lit it. Blowing out the smoke into the air, he waiting for Maggie or anyone else to interject, but no one did and Daryl continued before the words started to fail him once again. “She saw me, and who I was then and now. She never once chastised me for my love of Merle and never once tried to tell me I’m better without him,”— Daryl shot several looks toward Carol and several other members of the group who felt the same way— “She made me a better man, and I swore to never lose her… especially now that she’s pregnant.”

“But she was still taken…” Maggie didn’t mean for it to sound as if she was challenging him, or wanting to point out his failure, but she had and regretted the words the moment they had left her lips when she saw his bright eyes darken. A sudden loud bang caused everyone to nearly jump out of their skin, forgetting about the remaining walkers that were determined to get in. 

“You don’ think I know that?” his voice was now tense, almost offended and hurt by the comment that was made. Maggie had been fighting and surviving by his side for years, becoming good friends in the process, so it struck him hard seeing she was not accepting his relationship with her sister. “Ain’t a day goes by that I ain’t thinkin’ ‘bout them. Ain’t a day goes by that I have to wake up and find her not there next to me. I broke an oath I gave to her and myself, and ain’t a day goes by that I don’t regret and feel the guilt of losing the last shred of good in my damned life. Her place is beside me, and I will do anythin’ to have her there again. Ain’t nothin’ you can say or do.”

“Daryl… I didn’ mean it like that.” She was desperate now herself to find the right words to say. She knew there was something else that Daryl wasn’t telling her about his time alone with Beth, but in all the chaos from escaping from Terminus she completely forgot to confront him originally—only this wasn’t what she thought he was keeping from her. The hunter turned his hard gaze toward the ground, back to the burnt out matches. 

“Maggie,” Glenn spoke then, causing his wife to turn her attention toward him. The Korean shook his head as he pulled her away, allowing Daryl some space though Maggie still wanted to talk. He had thought of no one better for his sister-in-law then Daryl personally, and knew that Maggie saw it the same way— she just had to get use to the idea. None of it mattered thought, since Beth was still missing and the desperation to find her only grew worse. “Give him some space. We can talk about it later.”

Maggie tried to argue, but went with her husband anyways after the stern look he gave her. She wasn’t always the boss of the relationship it seems, as Daryl was left alone once more to stare at the metal door; the sun now disappearing from the sky with still the feeble attempts of the remaining walkers— some more likely to be easy to take down if they were still present when the family finally emerged. Rick was going to be out there for the night, and the hunter only hoped that he had found refuge from the walkers and the terrors the night would bring. Pulling another cigarette out before even putting out the one he was smoking, Daryl cursed to himself when he realized he only had three left—fuck— he thought he had more than the five in the pack. He was going to rip the next store apart that they would search to find a unopened pack of smokes; hopefully a better kind the stale ones he currently had. 

“Hadn’t seen you chain smoke this bad since I found you that carton,” Michonne’s voice took him by surprise, setting her katana onto the same crate he was leaning against. She was joining him in the great watch of the metal doors. “And I really don’t think that any walkers are gonna burst through these doors.”

“I didn’ think the back door would open the night they were taken from me.” Daryl muttered, using his nearly finished smoke to light the next one. At this rate, he was going to be smoking them all that night. The ebony skinned woman gave him a sympathetic look that he tried hard to avoid. That was what he didn’t want people to do, look upon him with pity. 

“How far was she?” Michonne’s voice was low, clearly showing she intended their conversation to stay only between them and not draw attention toward them as Maggie had. The older man was grateful for this. 

“Baby was jus’ startin’ to move.” Daryl responded, closing his eyes to imagine what she looked like the last night she was with him. Her belly was starting to protrude from the maternity top he and Finnley had found her, always making jokes that the baby was going to weigh more than she had originally was before getting pregnant. “You’d think she wouldn’ show cause of how tiny she is, but she was showin’ quite a bit. Thinkin’ she might have been three months… maybe four… ‘least she was when she was taken.”

“What do you hope it’s gonna be?” Michonne was keeping the conversation on the baby, keeping it in present tense as if she knew they were going to find them. Blowing out the smoke he had just inhaled, Daryl twisted to look at her sideways to see her smiling. He knew exactly what she was doing, and he didn’t realize how much it had helped as she nudged his shoulder. “Come on, I know you want one more than another. We all do it. Hell, I sure did.”

Daryl had remembered Beth mentioning in passing during their time together that she had believed that Michonne was once a mother, but for Michonne herself to mention it to him so freely. Looking over toward her, Daryl forced a small smile as he put the filter back between his lips. Licking his bottom lip, holding in the smoke, the hunter replied to the Samurai, “I’d honestly be happy with either… as long as their alive, healthy, and safe.” 

“I can’t argue with you there.” Michonne’s smile was soft, very different than most the smiles he was used to, almost sad. Placing her hand on his shoulder, the woman continued on. “You truly love her, I can see that every time I look at you… I see her all the time.”

Daryl stared at Michonne, before nodding. Unsure what to say back to her, words failing him. Michonne was almost as observant as he was —hell if not more— and she had paid close attention to her friend since reuniting together. She had seen the cloud hanging over him, it darkening everyday he was away from Beth. The pregnancy was not something that the ebony Samurai had expected to be an outcome of the two’s time alone; figured they both knew better when they were the closest to Judith besides her family. Knew the dangers and risks of pregnancy in a world like this, but Daryl didn’t need a lecture on this— he needed just someone to help keep his hope alive that he would find both of them. 

“We’re gonna find them.” Michonne then spoke after a few minutes, watching him smoke in silence before he turned his blue eyes to meet her dark ones. The small smile became more genuine from the hunter as she said the words, “And don’t worry about Maggie. I don’ think there is anyone better than you for her little sister, and she knows it too. She’ll come around.”

“I don’ know ‘bout that.” Daryl muttered, his eyes moving away from Michonne to Maggie and Glenn sitting close together with mouthy survivor; Maggie’s gaze beating at him, though she was nearly completely hidden into the growing shadows. 

“Well, you did drop a very big surprise on us back there.” Michonne chuckled waving off his concern, laughing at the look on everyone’s face when he had yelled out his secret toward Abraham. “Can’t blame the woman from getting a little upset.”

Silence slowly found its way between the two, and the two watched for hours the door— random pounding happening from a possible walker accidently hitting the side. Everyone was safe in the warehouse for the night, doing their best to keep the worry in their minds for their leader at a minimum. Carl had excluded himself from the group, upset he couldn’t rush back out to help his father, and Judith wouldn’t stop crying and screaming as she was able to sense everyone’s anxiety. She knew her father was not near, and though she had been used to it just being Carol and Tyreese around her, the infant was desperate for her father. Rest was not coming to anyone that night. 

“Daryl…” Maggie’s voice was soft when she approached the hunter a few hours later, sounding almost shy and timid when she spoke. Pulling his gaze from the door, Daryl turned his attention on the eldest Greene. Michonne had once more nudged the hunter in encouragement before making her way to the shadowed corner that Carl had banished himself to. Leaving the two to speak alone, and this time Maggie’s voice was much lower. “Can we talk?”

“Yea, go ahead.” Daryl grunted, not looking at her once while he felt her move to lean against the crate with him. He was able to see Glenn and the mouthy girl watching from their place against a wall before moving his gaze back toward the large metal doors, his mind back at the brief planning him and Michonne had discussed on looking for Rick and supplies in the morning. 

“I didn’ mean to make you think I thought you failed at protecting Beth.” That was what he loved the most about the brunette, that she was blunt and straight to the point when it came to talking to the hunter. Beth was the same way in that aspect— exactly like their father he always thought—never wanting to completely beat around the bush. Turning his blue eyes back toward Maggie, he allowed her to continue with what she had to say. “I believe you did everythin’ to keep her safe. And it was wrong of me to attack you the way I did, but Beth’s my baby sister so you can’ blame me for reacting the way I did.”

“Nah, I can’.” 

“Do you mean it when you said you loved her?” Maggie asked after a brief silence between the two, and that was when Daryl turned to look at her before nodding. A weak smile broke across her lips. “Daryl, I ain’t angry about it. I was jus’ shocked and little hurt that you didn’ tell me right away, but I see it. I see why you would fall in love with her, and why she would fall in love with you.” She then let out a small laugh, as tears started brimming from her eyes, “Hell, Daddy would be so excited. Granted he’d try to kick your ass for getting Beth pregnant out of wedlock, but he would be the first to congratulate you guys.”

Maggie let out a small sigh, wiping away her tears quickly before looking toward the hunter with a proud smile. It was all the acceptance he had needed, causing him the last conversation with her start repeating over and over. Pulling out the two rings he kept in a pouch in his pocket—completely grateful the terminus people didn’t decide to search through his pockets before trying to bleed him dry—Daryl stared down at the small beautiful wedding band he had found for when he was reunited with her. Maggie had noticed what he was doing, and could only stare at the rings in confusion.

“The last conversation I had with her… I told her that when we found you, I was gonna ask for you—since I can’ ask your dad— for permission…” Daryl looked toward Maggie who had shot a look of shock over toward her husband. “To make her my wife.”

“Oh my God,” Maggie whispered, picking up the small ring meant for her sister to get a better look at the ring in the little light that was provided. Turning quickly toward the hunter, she pulled him into a sudden hug; taking the hunter by surprise. Daryl suddenly felt awkward, as he squirmed to get away from the young woman. “Daryl Dixon if you wanna be a part of this family, ya gotta get use to hugs.”

The older man stopped squirming awkwardly in Maggie’s arms and returned the hug—Beth being the only person to hug him in a very long time. He was able to feel Carol’s eyes on the two as Maggie broke away, and he did his best to ignore the piercing stare as the brunette handed him back the rings. It helped that no one thought he was mad to believe the youngest Greene was alive, and that everyone supported the decision to search for her. She was part of this family, one of the most important people in his eyes, touching everyone with her light and goodness. Beth had faith that they would find their family, and now their family had faith they would find her and the baby as well. 

It wasn’t until dawn that the family was able to leave the confines of the warehouse, already starting to pair in groups to split up in search for Rick and supplies. The worry for the Sheriff still hung heavy over everyone, as they checked their ammo or gathered around Daryl and Carl to discuss a plan. 

“So I'll take Michonne, Carl, Glenn and Maggie will sweep the street we watched Rick take off down. Carol, Sash, and Bob you take Tara and scout any of the houses you can find.” Daryl started to direct people before turning to Abraham and his woman, who Judith had suddenly took a giant liking to over the night. “You okay with stayin’ here and keepin’ watch out in case he shows up?”

“And keep watch of this cutie, of course.” Rosita was the woman’s name as she cooed to the child, the infant child giggling in her arms. The hunter couldn’t help but smile toward the infant child, the blue eyes she shared with her father and brother shining with happiness, before turning his attention toward the red headed Sargent. The mullet man was hovering close behind the couple, looking out of place and spaced out.

“Rather have Eugene here and me watchin’ him than out there separated, but I will keep an eye out for Rick.” Abraham nodded as he leaned his rifle over his shoulder, and Daryl nodded. 

“Look,” Tara suddenly called out, and the group turned their attention toward the young woman and what she was referring to. 

“Dad!” Carl screamed out as he rushed passed everyone toward the Sheriff. Rick had been making his way toward the warehouse, followed by another figure. A woman. Rushing toward the teenager, the older man pulled his son into a tight hug as the woman finally caught up. Daryl’s eyes widened at the sight. “You’re alive!”

“I am,” Rick murmured into the boy’s hair, kissing the top of his head. Breaking away Rick turned to the mystery woman, a small smile breaking out on his face. “With a little help from a friend of Beth and Daryl’s.” Moving his blue eyes toward Daryl, he couldn’t help but laugh at the man rooted to the spot. “She’s here to help find Beth.”

“I’m Finnley.” The redhead introduced herself, waving shyly to the group; her green eyes landing on Daryl. Her hair was in a high bun that was falling apart around her thinned features, and her clothes were lived in and torn—nothing like the woman that he and Beth parted ways with. Without another word, Finnley walked straight toward the hunter as she wore a knowing smile. As soon as she was in arms reach, Daryl pulled her to him as hugged her tightly. He never thought he would see her again. Wrapping her arms around his neck, the young redhead could only whisper softly to him, “Don’ worry your big bad wolf head off… we’re gonna find your girl.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now, I do have a side fic in mind to give everyone the insight between how Rick and Finnley came to find each other and Rick managing to not murder her like he seems to like to do. I do have alot of it written, and I can always post it if anyone is curious about it. 
> 
> It was awesome to know that some people actually missed Finnley since I had decided to bring her back, so it made me feel good at the idea of bringing her back. I can't promise when the next chapter will be, but I am gonna have it written soon.


End file.
